title: Plasma total cholesterol level and some related factors in northern Iranian people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In middle age people, hypercholesterolemia (HC) has been included as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HC and some related factors in the north of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a population-based cross-sectional study that enrolled 1995 subjects (997 males and 998 females) in 25-65 year age using stratified cluster sampling. Interviewers recorded the data using a multidimensional questionnaire including anthropometric indexes. Plasma cholesterol was measured in the morning after a 12-hour fast and determined by an auto-analyzer. HC was defined by a total plasma total cholesterol level over 200 mg/dl. The SPSS.16 software was used to analyze data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the participant was 44.2 years and mean ± SD plasma total cholesterol level in men and women was 196.7 ± 39.11 and 209.4 ± 42.9, respectively. Generally, the prevalence of HC was 50.4% with a significant differences between men (44.7%) and women (57%) (P < 0.05). The mean plasma total cholesterol levels were significantly differenced among age groups, location area, BMI, and waist circumferences (P < 0.001). Women gender (OR = 1.64), 55-65 years old (OR = 2.79), BMI ≥40 kg/m(2) (OR = 10.0), and abdominal obesity (OR = 2.47) were associated with increased risk of HC (P = 0.001 and 95%CI for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HC is one of the most health problems in the northern Iran and it is more common in women than in men. General and abdominal obesity are the most common risk factors for HC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistery and Nutrition, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veghari
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sedaghat
authors.forename: Hamidraza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joshghani
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Niknezad
authors.forename: Abdolhamid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angizeh
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tazik
authors.forename: Pooneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moharloei
authors.forename: Samieh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banihashem
keywords: Hypercholesterolemia; Iran; obesity; socio-demographic; total cholesterol